Jostein Flo

Jostein Flo

Personal information
Full name	Jostein Flo
Date of birth	3 October 1964
Place of birth	Flo, Stryn, Norway
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current team	Strømsgodset (director of football)
Youth career
	Stryn
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1987–1990	Molde	72	(26)
1990–1991	Lierse	25	(7)
1991–1993	Sogndal	48	(28)
1993–1996	Sheffield United	84	(19)
1996–2002	Strømsgodset	161	(110)
Total		390	(190)
National team
1987–2000	Norway	53	(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Jostein Flo (born 3 October 1964 in Flo, Stryn, Norway) is a Norwegian former football player, famous for his physical playing style and aerial dominance. He is currently Director of Football in Strømsgodset.

Biography

At club level he usually played center-forward. For the national team he played right winger, and was instrumental for the tactics applied by former Norway coach Egil Olsen. Playing a characteristic 4-5-1 formation, the left back would often hit long crosses to Flo, who in turn would head the ball to either one of the central midfielders or to the striker.

This was known as the Flo Pass, and the Norwegian national team garnered much criticism for its perceived long-ball approach. Egil Olsen did, however, take the national team to two World Cups, and the long ball style of play is considered to have played an important role in accomplishing this.

He played for Stryn, Sogndal, Molde F.K., Lierse S.K., Sheffield United F.C. and Strømsgodset I.F.. He was capped 53 times, and scored 11 goals for the Norwegian national team and was part of his country's squads at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Perhaps his most famous appearance for the national side was the World Cup match against Brazil on 23 June 1998, when he came on as a late substitute and contributed heavily to turning a 0-1 deficit to a last-gasp 2-1 upset of the reigning World Cup champions.

Flo retired after the 2002 season, having scored 120 goals in 184 games for Strømsgodset. After his playing career, he worked with marketing for the club before he filled the role of executive director from October, 2004 to January, 2006. Flo is currently the director of football of Strømsgodset.

Personal life

Flo is from a family of footballers; he is the younger brother of Kjell Rune Flo, who also played for Molde, and the older brother of Tore André Flo. who played for Chelsea and Rangers, and Jarle Flo who played for Norwegian Sogndal.^[1] Håvard Flo (who played for Sogndal, AGF, SV Werder Bremen, and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.) is his cousin.^[2] In addition, Ulrik Flo is his nephew.^[1]

Jostein Flo was a decent high jumper in his younger days, and has a personal best jump of 2.06 metres from 1983 (2.08 m indoor from 1987).^[3]

Career statistics

As of 11 January 2015

Season	Club	Division	League		National Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1987	Molde	First Division	19	2	0	0	—		—		19	2
1988			22	10	0	0	—		—		22	10
1989			21	12	0	0	—		—		21	12
1990		Tippeligaen	10	2	0	0	—		—		10	2
1990-91	Lierse	Division I	25	7	0	0	—		—		25	7
1991	Sogndal	Tippeligaen	10	7	0	0	—		—		10	7
1992			22	9	3	3	—		—		25	12
1993-94	Sheffield United	Premier League	33	10	1	0	1	0	—		35	10
1994-95		First Division	32	6	1	0	2	2	—		35	8
1995-96			19	4	0	0	—		—		19	4
1996	Strømsgodset	Tippeligaen	18	6	0	0	—		—		18	6
1997			21	14	0	0	—		—		21	14
1998			19	19	0	0	—		—		19	19
1999			25	19	2	1	—		—		27	20
2000		First Division	26	25	1	0	—		—		27	25
2001		Tippeligaen	26	15	3	0	—		—		29	15
2002		First Division	26	12	3	2	—		—		29	14
Career Total			354	179	14	14	3	2	0	0	371	195

References

1. Tomasgård, Jørn-Arne (10 June 2011). "Flo-bølgja som ikkje stoppar" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
2. Sogn og Fjordane county encyclopedia - NRK (Norwegian)
3. Norwegian all-time list high jump (Norwegian)